Coin-controlled lock.



A. A. WYCKOFF. COIN QPNTHOLLED LOCK. APPLICATION-FILED Mar. 1913.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

V l l lll llll 5 m A. A. WYCKOF'F. COIN CONTROLLED LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7,-L9I3.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

:0 1 9 1 0 2 L p A m m w a P 1 a r Ty :5 t l and? AMOS A. CKQFF, 015 SANTA CRUZ, CALEFOENIA, AtSSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T CQIN TIME LOCK 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINQIS.

COIN-CONTROLLED 'LQGK.

Patented Alarm 269 i215,

Application filed August 7,1913. serial Ito. 783,526.

To a?! llf/l0772- it may concern Be it known that l, Euros A. Waronorr, a citizen of the United States, res ding at Santa Cruz, in the county of Santa Cruzand State of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Coin- Controlled Locks, of which the following is a specification. a

My present invention relates in general to looks and, more particularly, to coincontrolled locks of the general character disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 783,519, filed August 7, 1913, adapted for use in connection with lockers, safetydeposit vaults, and the like, and has more particular reference to the means for controlling the position of the coins in the coin chute and for releasing the coins therefrom at predetermined intervals.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of novel means for releasing the lowermost coin in the chute each time the locking bolt is moved from locked to unlocked position.

Another object is the provision of novel means for releasing the lowermost coin in the chute at predetermined intervals while the locking bolt remains in locked position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

ldeferringto the drawings-Figure 1 is a rear view of a lock embodying my invention showing the position of the parts when the lock. is in unlocked position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the lock is in locked position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 33 of: Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4l1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a front view of the release device showing the coin-receiving grooves; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of the lock showing the position of the coin-receiving apertures.

0n the drawings reference character 11 indicates the frame or body of the lock which is provided along its longitudinal edges with rearwardly extending flanges 12 and 13. respectively, having guiding slots adapted to support and guide a locking bolt 14-. The locking bolt is provided on its front face with a. coin groove 15 and its upper edge. provided with a notch 16, one wall 17 of which is curved as shown, the notch being arranged to partially intersect the groove 15. A. two-part slide 18 has a pro-= jecting finger 19 adapted to engage in the notch 16 when the bolt is in unlocked position to prevent locking movement of the bolt. The slide is provided on its front face with a pair of coin grooves (not shownl adapted to register with the coin-receiving apertures 21 and 22, respectively, formed in the casing 11 in the position shown in Fig 6: The slide is guided so as to be capable of longitudinal movement between suitable flanged guide rollers 23.

A key-cylinder 2d rotatably mounted in a suitable casing 25 is provided at its rear end with an arm 26, the extremity of which is turned inwardly to provide a linger engaging in an elongated groove or slot 2? in the locking bolt. Rotation of the key-cylinder will, through the intermediary of the arm 26 move the locking bolt from unlocked to locked position and vice versa. When the lock is in unlocked position a coin deposited in the aperture 22 will drop through the coin groove in the slide into the groove 15 of the locking bolt, so that when a key 28 is inserted in the key-cylinder initial movement of the locking bolt will, through the intermediary of the coin elevate the finger 19 from engagement in the notch 16, thereby releasing the bolt and permitting complete locking movement thereof. A latch 29 slidably mounted in a suitable guide bracket 31 is normally urged upwardly by an expansion spring into engagement with the lower edge of the locking bolt which is provided with a notch 32 adapted to receive said latch when the bolt is in locked position as shown in Fig. 2. It will be manifest that this latch will prevent movement of the looking bolt to unlocked position and that the latch must be withdrawn from engagement in the notch 32 before the lock can be unlocked. 7

When the locking bolt is moved to locked position the coin in the groove 15 travels ofi' from the key-cylinder 2d and falls into a coin chute 33 disposed beneath the bolt. Suitable releasing mechanism, which will be later described, prevents the coin from dropping out the bottom of the chute and, as a matter of fact, the coin chute must be substantially full of coins before the' latch 29 will be disengaged from the locking bolt.

For the purpose of effecting disengagement of this latch from the bolt, I have provided a bell-crank lever pivoted to the frame at 34 and comprising an arm 35 connected to the lower end of the latch 29 and an arm 36 projecting adjacent to and forming one s de of the coin chute.' On the opposite side of the coin' chute I have pivoted at 37 another bell-crank lever comprising an arm 38 dlsposed opposite to the arm 36 and an arm 39 normally urged into engagement with the locking bolt by a leaf-spring 41. The looking bolt is provided on its lower edge with a notch 42 providing a cam face 43.

When the lock is in locked position, as shown in Fig.2, the lever 39 is disposed in the notch. If there are a sufiicient number of coins in the chute to bring the uppermost coin between the arms 36 and 38, initial unlocking movement of the locking bolt will swing the arm 38 to the left, viewing Fig. 2, and, through the intermediary of a coin,

' will swing the arm 36 to the left, thereby depressing arm and withdrawing the latch 39 from engagement with the bolt to permit movement of the bolt to unlocked position. The initial movement of the looking bolt to release the latch 29 is rendered possible by reason of the fact that the inner wall of the notch 32 is spaced a short distance from the latch 29 when the lock is in locked position. Ifa coin is in position between thearms 36 and 38 the latch 29 will be released before the wall of the notch 32 engages therewith. If no coin is present between these arms the latch will prevent opening of the lock. The construction and operation of the parts .thus far described are substantially similar to those in my copending application aforementioned in gllfich these parts are elaborated upon more Vlf hen the lock is used on a locker, for instance, it is desirable that the charge be proportional to the length of time that the locker is used. I have, therefore, provided a timing mechanism which will release a coin from the coin chute at the end of each predetermined period of time, with the result that the user will be obliged to deposit coins proportional in number to the time that the lock has remained in locked position before the lock can be unlocked to release the articles or goods stored. When the lowermost coin in the chute is released or Withdrawn the other coins will move downwardly under gravity the width of one coin and the number remaining in the chute must be added to sufficiently to bring the uppermost coin into operative position between the arms 36 and 38 before the locking bolt can be released. The releasing mechanism comprises, in the present instance, a wheel 44 provided on its front face with a pluralityof radially extending coin-receiving slots 45 adapted to be alined with the coin chute 33 and suitable means for operating this wheel. The wheel is rotatably mounted on a suitable stub-shaft 46 and is provided with peripheral gear teeth adapted to mesh with a driving pinion 47 fixed to a shaft 48 mounted in a suitable housing 49 aflixed to the frame 11. Movement is imparted to the shaft 48 from a worm-wheel 51 fixed on a collar 52embracing the shaft 48 and carrying at its outer end adisk 53 provided on its outer face with a pawl 54, normally urged by a spring 55 ,into engagement with a ratchet wheel 56 fixed on the shaft 48. The

pawl and ratchet connection between the worm-wheel 51 and the ,release wheel 44 is prov j to enable movement of the release 'wli ee qlnom direction independently of the worin 'wheel by mechanism and for a purto mesh with and be driven by a beveled gear 64 mounted on a driving shaft 65. This driving shaft may receive motion from any suitable source of power and, when a number of lockers or boxes are equipped with my invention, the shaft 65 may be extended to connect with and drive the shaft 59 for each look. In the present instance I have shown. merely for purpose of illustration an electric motor 66 connected with the shaft 65 by a belt 67, but it'will be manifest that any other preferred motive power might be utilized for the purpose. On the lower end of the driving shaft 59 is fixed a driving clutch member 68, and a driven clutch member. 69 slidable longitudinally of the shaft 58, but incapable of rotation relatively thereto, is adapted to-be raised into coiiperative relation with the clutch member 68 by means of a link 71 pivoted at 72 to the outer end of arm 35 and connected at its lower end to a collar 73 disposed beneath the member 69. When the locking bolt 14 is in unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 1, the clutch is maintained in open position by engagement of the end of the latch 29 with the lower edge of the bolt, but, when the locking bolt is in locked position as shown in Fig. 2, the clutch is closed by the expansion spring 30 as the latch 29 is moved into engagement with the notch 32. It will be manifest, therefore, that .when the locking bolt is in locked position the driving shaft 59 will actuate the driven shaft 58 to continuously rotate the worm-wheel 51, the disk 54, the ratchet 56 and the pinion 47 in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby rotating the .wheel 44 in a clockwise direction viewing Figs. 1 and 2, so that the coin grooves wearer 45 will he successively brought into alinement with the coin chute 33 to receive the lowermost coin in the chute. The coins deposited in these grooves will be successively delivered therefrom when the wheel makes approximately half a revolution and the curved surfaces 74 between the successive grooves will support the coins in the chute until a roove 45 is alined with the chute. The period of time between each successive delivery of a coin from the chute will be determined, therefore, by the length of the curved surfaces 7 4 and thespeed at which the wheel 44 is rotated. While it is usually desirable in practice to so time and proportion the parts that a groove 45 will be brought into registration with the coin chute 33 once in twelve hours or once in twentyfour hours, thereby providing. for twelve hour periods or twenty-four hour periods, as preferred, it 'will be obvious that the mechanism may be proportioned and timed to provide for time periods of any desired length.

During the first time period after the lock has been locked the coin which is utilized to efiect the locking operation will be sustained by the coins already in the chute in operative position between the arms 36 and 38 so that the lock can be unlocked at any time during this first period without depositing any more coins. llf the lock should be unlocked it-is then desirable that a coin can be removed from themagazine and that the release wheel 44 be set to zero position in order that the next user may have service for a full period for one coin. I have, therefore, provided mechanism which insures the removal of one coin from the magazine each time the lock is unlocked and also sets the release wheel with a roove 45 in registry with the coin'chute. eferring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it will be observed that a ratchet-wheel 7 5 is fixed to the hub of the wheel 44 and that. a disk 76 is rotatably journaled on said hub adjacent to the ratchet-wheel. A pawl 77 is pivoted at 7 8 on the disk 76 and a spring 79' serves to normally urge said pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel. A lever 81 pivoted on the frame 11 at 82 is connected with the locking bolt 14 at one end by a pin 83 working in a slot 84 and at its other end to the disk 76 by a pin 85 working in a slot 86. When the locking bolt is moved from locked position to unlocked position the disk 7 6 will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The

ratchet-teeth on the wheel 75 are so positioned with respect to the coin grooves 45.

and the wheel 44 that one coin groove will be alined with the coin chute 33 when the ratchet-wheel is in the position shown in Fig. 1. In other words, the number of at {ratchet-teeth corresponds to the number of therefore,

eration of the release wheel.

81 and disk 76 cause the dog 77 to engage a ratchet tooth and complete the movement of the wheel 44 so that the next groove will be registered with the coin chute. One coin is, delivered from the coin chute into a groove 45 each time the locking bolt is unlocked irrespective of the time that the looking bolt has remained in locked position and the number of coins that have been removed from the chute by the continuous op- The movement of the release wheel effected by the lever 81 is permitted independently of any movement of the worm-wheel 51 by reason of the pawl and ratchet connection 54, 5.6 between the disk 53 and the shaft 48.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that I have provided a lock which, when in unlocked position, can be locked only upon the introduction of a coin into the aperture 22, that after the lock is locked it can be unlocked at any time within the first period by reason of the operative connection established through the intermediary of the looking coin between the arms 36 and 88, that so long as the lock remains in locked posi-' tion a coin will be released and delivered from the coin chute at the end of each time period and, that the lock cannot be unlocked again until a number of coins, proportional to the number of time periods that have elapsed, have been inserted in the aperture 21 and, furthermore, that each time the lock is unlocked a coin would be released from the coin chute and the mechanism will be set to give the next user a complete time period for his first coin.

While I have shown and described that embodiment of my invention which at pres ent seems preferable, it will be obvious that various changes in the mechanical details disclosed may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

4 claim:

1. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-controlled locking bolt, a coin chute, mechanism for automatically and intermittently releasing coins from said chute, and means whereby said mechanism is controlled from said bolt.

2. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking bolt, a coin chute, mechanism for releasing a coin from said chute at predetermined intervals while thelocking bolt remains in locked position, and means operated from said bolt to insure the release of a coin upon unlocking movement of the bolt.

3. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking bolt, a coin chute, mechanism for releasing coins'one at a time from said chute, means rendered operative by locking movement of said bolt for actuating said mechanism, and means rendered operative upon unlocking movement of said bolt for moving said mechanism to releasing position.

4. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-controlled locking bolt, a coin chute, a wheel provided with a plurality of radially disposed coin-receiving grooves positioned at the lower end of said chute, mechanism rendered operative upon locking movement of said bolt for rotating said wheel to intermittently release the lowermost coin in said chute, and means operative upon unlocking movement of said bolt for positioning said wheel with one of its coin groovesin alinement with said chute.

5. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-controlled locking bolt, a coin chute, a rotatable member provided with radial slots disposed beneath'said chute, means for alining one of said slots with said chute upon unlocking movement of said bolt, and means for continuously rotating said memher when the locking bolt is in locked position.

6. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-controlled locking bolt, a coin chute, a rotatable member provided with radial slots disposed beneath said chute, mechanism including a clutch for continuously rotating said member when the clutch is closed, and means for retaining said clutch in closed positionwvhen the locking bolt is locked and in open position when the lock ing bolt is unlocked whereby coins are intermittently delivered from said' chute when the bolt is in locked position.

7. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-actuated locking bolt, a coin chute, a coin-releasing device disposed beneath said chute, mechanism for operating said device to release one coin when the looking bolt is moved to unlocked position. and

means for automatically operating said device to release the coins from said chute at predetermined intervals when the bolt is in locked position.

8. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a coin-controlled locking bolt, a coin chute, a wheel provided with a plurality of radially disposed coin-receiving slots positioned in operative relation to said chute, means for positioninig said member with a slot in alinement with said chute upon unlocking movement of said bolt, a continuously operated driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch interposed between said shafts, operative connections between said driven shaft and said rotatable member, means for closing said clutch upon locking movement of said bolt, and means for operating said fillitcll upon unlocking movement of said 9. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking bolt, a coin chute, a rotatable'device provided with radial slots disposed beneath said chute, means includin a lever and a pawl and ratchet connection Ior alining one of'said slots with said chute when the locking bolt is moved to unlocked position, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch interposed between said shafts, operative connections between said driven shaft and said rotatable device, coinactuated means for closing said clutch when the looking bolt is moved to locked position, and means for-opening said clutch upon unlocking movement of said bolt.

10. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking bolt, a coin chute, mechanism for automatically and intermittently releasing coins from said chute while the bolt is in locked position, and means for releasing a coin from said chute when the bolt is moved to unlocked position.

11. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking bolt, a coin chute, means for intermittently and automatically releasing coins from said chute at predetermined intervals, and mechanisms 'for operating said means to release a coin upon unlocking movement of said bolt.

AMOS A. WYCKOFF.

Witnesses:

IRA J. Wr'nson, FRANKLIN M. WARDEN. 

